# RIP Torn **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 10, 2019, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-torn/836820 "2019-07-10T03:18:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-torn/836820/21 "2019-07-10T14:43:47Z")
And here he is with Norman Mailer in _Maidstone_ (1970): From the description: "Mailer concluded principal photography without resolving the final scene, and Rip Torn (playing his brother-in-law and assassin) allegedly decided to take it upon himself to "improvise" an attack by hitting Mailer on the head with a small hammer, drawing blood. Mailer retaliated by tackling and then nearly chewing Torn's ear off as they grappled viciously, and it rapidly escalated into an unhinged on-camera brawl as Mailer's horrified kids screamed in terror. This is the completely uncut sequence. I have to wonder how "unplanned" it was...." ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-torn/836820/22 "2019-07-10T15:26:42Z")
We re-watched the whole run of _The Larry Shandling Show_ last year. Still great. And of course Rip dominated almost every scene he was in. He won _two_ Cable Ace awards for that! [Booze led to legal issues](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rip_Torn#Legal_troubles) and his last years were less than busy. Fun fact 1: He’s a cousin of Sissy Spacek. Fun (?) fact 2: His son Tony was the diner cashier that sold Holden a painting on the wall in _Chasing Amy_. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-torn/836820/23 "2019-07-10T15:27:03Z")
There was one ep of Larry Sanders where Artie suggested a new Kobe beef restaurant, adding “I don’t care if they do torture the animals. It’s a damn fine cut of meat!” ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-torn/836820/24 "2019-07-10T15:59:23Z")
Another for whom he will always be Artie. (And I still can’t believe he outlived Garry Shandling.) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-torn/836820/25 "2019-07-10T16:57:29Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Another for whom he will always be Artie. > > (And I still can’t believe he outlived Garry Shandling.) Ditto. He dominated every scene he was in, and I don’t think the show would have been as great as it is without him. I have the boxed set of the series and we still watch episodes, as it has held up as well or better than most comedy series. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-torn/836820/26 "2019-07-10T17:37:30Z")
The guy worked. [A lot](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001800/). You’ll wear out your mouse wheel scrolling through his credits. I’d never heard of the only movie he was Oscar-nominated for, _[Cross Creek](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085380/?ref_=nmawd_awd_1)_, until now. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-torn/836820/27 "2019-07-10T17:57:03Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > I will always remember him as Māăx, the villain in _The Beasmaster_. Me too. He and John Amos will always be linked to that in my memory. But we may be the only ones who saw that movie. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-torn/836820/28 "2019-07-10T18:04:05Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > He’ll always be Artie from Larry Sanders to me. RIP Just so. I really believe it was his greatest role, he and Garry Shandling together were comic perfection. In fact in tribute to them both I shall binge watch the whole series of the Larry Sanders Show. ---
**Author:** ![BobBitchin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@BobBitchin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobBitchin)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-torn/836820/29 "2019-07-10T20:36:07Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > Me too. He and John Amos will always be linked to that in my memory. > > But we may be the only ones who saw that movie. Me too. Kodo and Podo were my favorites. I’ll always remember Rip in MIB. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-torn/836820/30 "2019-07-10T20:52:53Z")
Also was in Dawn’s Early Light…he’s great in one of several goosebump-raising scenes that appear in that movie. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-torn/836820/31 "2019-07-10T23:41:39Z")
“Horseshit, Larry.” I still mutter that a few times a year. And I don’t remember the exact lines, but when an controlling executive tries to pull rank on Larry, and make him more commercial, Rip keeps saying, “I swear I killed her in Korea.” ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2019, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-torn/836820/32 "2019-07-11T04:28:02Z")
> [@Baal\_Houtham](#): > > “Horseshit, Larry.” > > I still mutter that a few times a year. > > And I don’t remember the exact lines, but when an controlling executive tries to pull rank on Larry, and make him more commercial, Rip keeps saying, “I swear I killed her in Korea.” “I swear I killed her in the war.” “You used that line yesterday.” “It’s not a line, Larry, it’s a real concern.” Now please excuse me while I pour out a Salty Dog for my homie, Artie. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2019, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-torn/836820/33 "2019-07-11T05:00:18Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > Me too. He and John Amos will always be linked to that in my memory. > > But we may be the only ones who saw that movie. “All pilgrims have a deep love of life. Especially their own.” There are a surprising number of Tanya Roberts fans out there. And Andre Norton fans who don’t care that she disowned the film. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2019, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-torn/836820/34 "2019-07-11T14:06:36Z")
33 posts in and no one with a “I see what you did there” on the thread title? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2019, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-torn/836820/35 "2019-07-11T14:10:03Z")
> [@Baal\_Houtham](#): > > “Horseshit, Larry.” > > I still mutter that a few times a year. > > And I don’t remember the exact lines, but when an controlling executive tries to pull rank on Larry, and make him more commercial, Rip keeps saying, “I swear I killed her in Korea.” “Hit it, Jefe.” It’s what I tell my wife when she’s making us late for something. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2019, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-torn/836820/36 "2019-07-11T19:47:07Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > 33 posts in and no one with a “I see what you did there” on the thread title? It’s so obvious that I doubt anyone thought it worth pointing out. In addition to the roles already mentioned, to me he was memorable in a thoroughly forgettable movie ([Down Periscope](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_Periscope)). It wasn’t a large part, but the glee with which he stuck it to his adversary (another admiral, played by Bruce Dern) stood out. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2019, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-torn/836820/37 "2019-07-11T21:05:52Z")
One of the obit articles included a picture of Rip with Tommy Lee Jones that I found fascinating. “So what?” you say. “Lots of photos of them from the _MiB_ movies.” Well, take a look at this [one](https://outlet.historicimages.com/products/mva82117). Rip as Big Daddy and Tommy Lee as Brick in a 1984 cable production of _Cat on a Hot Tin Roof_. Jessica Lange played Maggie. Wow. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-torn/836820/38 "2019-07-14T06:17:53Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > I will always remember him as Māăx, the villain in _The Beasmaster_. Same. A childhood favorite, as well as Summer Rental. I figured there were more people out there who were kids in the 80s. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-torn/836820.md?page=1)